


Again and Again

by SevenCorvus



Series: Avengers 50 Prompt Table [24]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Character Study, F/M, Gen, Gender Issues, Het, One Shot, Prompt Fic, gen - Freeform, or - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 08:46:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/607978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SevenCorvus/pseuds/SevenCorvus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha was used to having to prove herself, used to having to show she was more than just a pretty face.</p><p>Prompt: again<br/>Characters: Natasha Romanov/Thor</p>
            </blockquote>





	Again and Again

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of my NaNoWriMo project, and for the prompt "again" on the [Avengers 50 Prompt Table](http://sevencorvus.livejournal.com/24907.html). Each of my prompt fills will be covering a different character combination and most can be read as gen or romantic, I leave it up to you to decide. I will be posting a fic a day for the rest of this month (at least). Feedback is love and will be rewarded with cookies (and smut).

Natasha was used to having to prove herself, used to having to show she was more than just a pretty face. In the field, it was nice to be underestimated; it gave her a tactical advantage that she put to good use. It was a different story at S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters. There was a reason she preferred to work with Coulson as much as Clint did. Their handler never underestimated them, never looked down on them for their appearance or attitude. He valued their input and their skills in a way that other people might not have. 

Working with Coulson so much though, meant that other agents were not as aware of their abilities in the field, and often doubted them. Doubted that they were as good as they claimed, as good as the stories said. Natasha was used to having to prove them wrong. There was a reason she enjoyed sparring with Clint in the S.H.I.E.L.D. training rooms. And while Fury might have asked her nicely to try not to break any of the agents, that did not mean she could not teach them a lesson. 

She was used to having to show again and again, that she was just as good, if not better than the other agents. She was used to it, but that did not mean she liked it. Natasha did not like her skills being called into doubt, anymore than Clint liked people questioning his aim. So when the Avengers were formed, she hoped that just once people would accept her in faith and not make her prove herself. She was the only female on the team, and the last thing she wanted was for that to make a difference. It did not with Clint, but then he basically saw her as one of the guys. Fury and Coulson had never cared about her gender, except in how it affected the mission. 

Ironically, she was sure Stark would not care about her gender, he had already seen her in action and knew how dangerous she could be, and despite his flirting she knew he had the greatest respect for Pepper. No, she knew he would not care she was female; it was the others she was worried about. Banner recognized her from the beginning, recognized her as dangerous and a threat, taking her seriously. It made something in her like him, despite herself. Maybe she should not have doubted Rogers; he had experience with strong woman after all. Which just left Thor.

Natasha did not know what to make of Thor, did not understand him or his background. It made her instinctively distrust him, not liking things she could not control or manipulate. He spoke as if from the Old World, spoke as a fighter, and she suspected that he might be the one to have a problem with working with a female. What of it, he might be a god, but she could take him, she could show him she was not some weak female. Of course it did not help that he had to come to her rescue from the Hulk. Still, she was prepared for him to call her out, it had happened before, it would no doubt happen again. She might have been prepared for it, but she had not expected when he did, it would be to refer to her as Lady Widow and praise her profusely for her skills in battle.

She did not take seriously his offers (threats) to write ballads in her honor so others might know of her prowess. It was nice though, nice to be accepted on her own terms. Natasha knew that she would no doubt continue having to prove herself to generation after generation of new S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, but in the mean time she would appreciate having a team she would not have to do that with.


End file.
